Baby stay fixture

[Wakatere]

My baby stay (substitute for forward lowers) is fixed to the coachroof (the almost-vertical forward surface). Looking more closely than heretofore it seems there's an unreasonable amount of flex causing cracking. It is proposed to fix it instead to the deck (with suitable reinforcement). Can anybody see why not?

This stay cuts the foredeck in half - without it inflating the dinghy would be much easier. Can anybody say why I can or can't use a Highfield Lever - it would be permanently deployed at all other times?
TIA
Charles

 

[lw395]

If your coach roof is showing cracks, then maybe it just needs some local reinforcement?
The vertical front panel ought, by its shape, to be a strong member well placed to distribute the force into the deck.
As for making the babystay removable, many boats are rigged like this, but the aft lowers may invert the mast bend when the babystay is released. I had a boat with a removable babystay, but that was set up with some bend in the mast to start with.
You should look at the rig as a whole. How badly does it need the babystay? IF the mast is fairly stiff you can safely have less tension on the lowers and remove the babystay when not needed.
It also relates to the cut of your main. If you need the mast very straight, then you are more reliant on the babystay. If you have some prebend and aft-swept spreaders, the babystay is only needed to stop the rig flexing ('pumping') in big waves.
Rigs vary a lot, the differences can be quite subtle, so take care before messing with it based on an internet discussion where people have only half the information.

It's possible you've been sailing with babystay and lowers too tight, and/or the upper shrouds too slack? This would put more load than intended on the babystay?

 

[neil_s]

My baby stay is fixed to an eyeplate in the deck just aft of the forehatch. The hatch coaming moulding is backed up by a wooden deck beam to reinforce the eyeplate but the arrangement is still not very rigid. You might find that a lot of reinforcement is needed to brace your baby stay up solidly. I don't see any problem with a Highfield lever to set up your baby stay. I use a Pelican hook to set up my inner forestay when needed.

 

[BurnitBlue]

The Baby Stay is the one piece of rigging that generates the most anger and forum posts. To save the price of one piece of wire a Baby Stay lfts the deck and impedes the foredeck. I am so fed up with it (a major design fault on the Moody 346 series) that I am going to change to two forward lowers.

 

[Kelpie]

The Baby Stay is the one piece of rigging that generates the most anger and forum posts. To save the price of one piece of wire a Baby Stay lfts the deck and impedes the foredeck. I am so fed up with it (a major design fault on the Moody 346 series) that I am going to change to two forward lowers.

Keep us posted on the modification! I would also like to change out a babystay for forward lowers on our new (to us) Moody.

 

[William_H]

For the OP yes a high field lever is good for quick connection and application of a repeatable tension. I use one on the forestay no problems for many years. If you move the baby stay attachment forward you will provide more pull forward of the mast middle wi5th less tension so good. But then it will hinder tacking the jib even more. Twin forward intermediate stays might be the answer but still may impede tacking of the jib unless it is sheeted inside the forward intermediate stays. ol'will

 

[rszemeti]

Our babystay is only used in anger for rigging the storm jib. We have forward and aft lower shrouds.

We have a fairly impressive highfield lever with a locking ring, the stay is stowed on a plat about a foot in front of the mast with minimal tension.

When deployed, it is on a wire strop fixed about 2 feet inboard of the forestay, and with a good amount of tension on the stay.

 

[Achosenman]

I think asking here, is asking for trouble.

My babystay is frequently miss identified by fellow sailors who all think I added that piece of rubbish.

Get your rigging looked at by a rigger and ask them to decide on the way forward. It’s amazing how many wrong opinions you get when someone has no “skin in the game”